Here at STARTERS, the famous Draft Analyzer is key to helping you create custom Cheat Sheets for your draft. The tool factors in projections, previous year’s stats, trending, etc, so be sure to use it when getting ready for your draft. However, last year I created my own stand-alone set of Rankings, and while they might differ from the Draft Analyzer here and there, I think it’s important to take a bit of variation with you to your draft! So enjoy, this is my personal set of 2016 Fantasy Football Rankings. For Dynasty Rankings, check out Smitty’s Dynasty Content over at SleeperU.

AFC

BUF: Tyrod Taylor QB – He enters a very important year. Is he the real deal? His 3,035 yards and 20TDs/6INTs was rather impressive in his 14 games, and his 568 yards and 4TDs on the ground makes him a very sneaky low-end QB1 in all formats. If you draft him, have a back-up plan!

MIA: Ryan Tannehill QB – After four seasons, it’s rather clear what we have here in this QB. He is a 4,000/25-27TD passer. He has two amazing talents to throw to in Landry and Parker, so we could see him dance in the 28-32TD range during some seasons to come, but this is a low-end fantasy QB1 right here.

NE: Tom Brady QB – It’s hard to believe Brady has played 16 seasons. He should have a top 5QB season left in the tank, but that will be his ‘pace’ stat wise, as he will face a four game suspension to start the season. If you need a QB in any kind of existing league, Jimmy Garoppolo is a solid fill-in.

NYJ: Ryan Fitzpatrick QB – Fitz just inked his new deal, which pays him $12 million. It’s fully guaranteed and has more money in incentives, so this is the Jets’ starter, make no mistake about it. After an impressive 3,905/31TD season in 2016, he makes a fine QB2 in larger 2016 redraft leagues.

BAL: Joe Flacco QB – He could miss the entire preseason (as of July 27). This makes him a risky low-end QB1 in 2016, as he could be rusty and not have solid timing with his receivers come Week 1. With how deep the QB pool is in 2016, he should be avoided as a starter unless you’re in a larger league.

CIN: Andy Dalton QB – Fully healthy from his thumb injury, Dalton enters 2016 as a high-end QB2. The QB pool is just far too deep this year to start Dalton as a QB1, unless your league is huge.

CLE: Robert Griffin III QB – Equal parts bounce-back and risk, there is some appeal here entering 2016. He shouldn’t be anyone’s QB1, but in 2QB leagues, or as a solid back-up, RG3 at least has a shot to throw for 3,200 yards, 18-20TDs, while totaling 300-400/2-3TDs on the ground. He could just as easily bust, but that’s why no one should make him a fantasy starter out of the gate.

PIT: Ben Roethlisberger QB – This guy is always rock solid and makes for a fine QB5-7 in any format. His ADP is about the 6th-round, which feels about right.

HOU: Brock Osweiler QB – Os is totally unproven and doesn’t have amazing measurables. If you take his 8 played games last year, he would have totaled 3,934 passing yards, 20TDs and 12INTs. Os has enough talent to get DeAndre Hopkins the targets that he needs, which is great news, and he has a solid rusher in Lamar Miller. The talent surrounding him could have him totaling those same 2015 numbers (extrapolated out), which isn’t a bad season. He may have more than 12INTs, though.

IND: Andrew Luck QB – He is completely underrated entering 2016. I’ve seen some magazines and ‘sources’ out there that have this guy as the 4th or 5th QB entering 2016. Take advantage of his bad 2015 campaign. He has top 1-3QB written all over him and he is a monster steal at his current 5.01 ADP. There may not be many players with more upside given their ADP than Luck!

JAC: Blake Bortles QB – Everything said about Luck above can be said here, minus the bad campaign last year. Bortles had a great season last year, and Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns just lock in his top 4-6 fantasy QB status if you ask me. With an 8th-round ADP, he and Luck have some of the best draft value in 2016.

TEN: Marcus Mariota QB – He is expected to run more in 2016, which is great news, as his 252 rushing yards and 2TDs from last year could double to 400+ and 4-5. Mix that with what should be 3,800-4,000 passing yards and 27-30TDs, that’s a sneaky QB1 in 2016.

DEN: Mark Sanchez QB – Not fantasy relevant and may not start for long in 2016 (if he even makes it into the lineup for Week 1).

KC: Alex Smith QB – A fantasy QB2.

OAK: Derek Carr QB – Capable of top 5-10 fantasy QB numbers, but only costs 9th-round value. Amari Cooper could explode this year; these two will connect early and often!

SD: Philip Rivers QB – Always good for 4,300-4,500 yards, 28-30TDs, he remains a quiet fantasy QB1. He is a great QB to pair with a similar type talent, which makes for a good match-up situation (if that strategy plays to your strengths).

For those of you that don’t know, Josh Gordon (WR – Browns) has been reinstated by the NFL (but suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season), and the Browns have made it pretty clear, via several reports, that they will welcome him back with open arms. They will most likely have him on a short leash, no question, and one minor issue and he could be done in the NFL for good. Still, there is no denying the fact that the wide receiver has top 10WR upside, if not top 5WR upside, if healthy, on the field and trusted by his offense. It’s tough not to get excited, but it’s smart to play this right in early drafts and not reach too far for him. However, it’s important not to overlook him either. So, in redraft leagues, where do you take the guy? I would definitely shy away from grabbing him as a WR2, because you just won’t likely need to snag him at that value (yet). So, he makes for a risky WR3, and that still gives you plenty of upside, as again, he can be a fantasy WR1 if everything lines up. So, let’s take a look at the areas where Josh Gordon is worth the risk (at this very moment, and that could change in either direction in the coming weeks, so we will surely readdress this topic soon!):

As you can see, there is a place just before the Moncrief and Decker types that feels consistent and safe, but right where you see the players turn red, you have to admit that the upside of those players just doesn’t sniff the upside of Gordon’s, which means it’s time to strike in those areas. Again, I can’t stress this enough, this could change as his ADP climbs, or falls. If he keeps his head on straight and Cleveland appears to want him back in his old WR1 role, expect his ADP to possibly climb even higher than the 6th-round, and when that time comes, we might agree with wanting to take him higher than that. For now, though, after the medium name WRs are off the board, that seems to be the safe spot.

Allen Robinson | JAC

(ranked inside 2-3 for WRs)

Depending on your scoring settings, Allen Robinson is likely getting top 3WR love from the 2016 Draft Analyzer. Of course, don’t draft him that high, as his ADP is around 2.01 -2.03, which right around the 6th- to 7th-ranked WR in most drafts. Use ADPs to your advantage while realizing that the Draft Analyzer is seeing some overwhelmingly-positive data-driven things in Robinson heading into 2016.

More WRs Ranking High on the Draft Analyzer

Brandin Cooks – NO – He is currently ranking in inside the top 8-11 for WRs on the Draft Analyzer, depending on your entered league scoring. There is a lot to like about Cooks, and certainly use his third-round ADP to your advantage. He is roughly the 14th-16th ranked WR in most any draft, so be sure to draft him there, but understand that the Analyzer is calling for a big season out of the guy.

Jarvis Landry – MIA – He is definitely a breakout candidate, and the Analyzer is ranking him near the top 9-11 for WRs. Again, as said above, this is higher than his ADP, by about 5-7 WR spots, so use ADPs to your advantage and just know that the Analyzer is predicting big things out of Landry in 2016.

Allen Hurns – JAC – As with Landry and Cooks, Hurns is ranking in, according to the Draft Analyzer, near the top 10-13 for WRs in 2016. This is about 2-3 rounds higher than his ADP, which has him coming in around the 18th-21st ranked WR in an average draft. Expect big things, but draft accordingly and not too early.

Randall Cobb – GB – A forgotten man, Cobb should rebound in 2016, as will Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Cobb is right around the 15th-18th ranked WR in most any mock draft, but the Analyzer is calling for a top 10-12 fantasy season. Use this info to your advantage, but draft as low as you can, as the ADPs suggest you can.

It’s important to constantly look at updated ADP Data, and we will have updates in both June and July for this. Here is the final May Redraft edition of 2016 ADP Data for the 2016 fantasy football season.